Eye of Horus

Eye of Horus amulet

Ancient Egyptian, c. 1050 – 332 BC

Faience

Our Object of the Month for October is an Ancient Egyptian amulet in the form of the ‘eye of Horus’ or wedjat. Amulets were worn or carried in Ancient Egypt as it was believed that they had magical or religious properties and could provide protection. The eye of Horus amulet was considered to be a powerful protective amulet associated with healing. Amulets were also placed on the body of the deceased to protect them and enable their rebirth in the afterlife. An eye amulet could have multiple meanings – it may have been thought of as protection for the eyes; as a way of enabling the deceased to see again; or as general protection and a symbol of rebirth.

Amulet with multiple eyes, faience, Late Period (664 – 332 BC), Chiddingstone Castle collection, object number 01.0194

The markings around the eye of Horus amulet are said to imitate the natural markings of a falcon – the god Horus was either depicted as a falcon or a falcon-headed man. Falcon gods were worshipped in Egypt since the late Predynastic period (around 3,000 BC), and there were many different local cults which worshipped versions of Horus. The name ‘Horus’ is the greek version of an Ancient Egyptian word which meant ‘up and far away’, referring to the flight of a falcon. Horus later became more widely worshipped as one of the most important gods associated with the sky and kingship. It was believed that he was the son of the god Osiris and, according to myth, he was chosen to rule a united Egypt.

Statue of Horus the falcon wearing the crowns of Upper and Lower Egypt and protecting an image of the King Nectanebo II, stone, Late Period (360 – 343 BC), Metropolitan Museum, object number 34.2.1

One of the most important myths about Horus dates at least as far back as the New Kingdom (ca. 1570 – 1069 BC). It was recorded in a papyrus in the collection of the Chester Beatty Library, and is known as the ‘Contendings of Horus and Seth’. The myth describes how the young Horus competes with his Uncle Seth to inherit the title of King from his father Osiris. Horus succeeds and is formally given the title of King. During their conflict, Seth takes Horus’ eyes, one of which is magically healed by the god Thoth. This is why the eye of Horus became a powerful symbol of protection and restoration. The eye of Horus was one of the most popular amulet types in Ancient Egypt. There are several other examples in the Chiddingstone Castle collection. This one is particularly finely modelled, and it is likely that it would have had another material such as white stone inlaid into the eye, like this example in the Metropolitan Museum collection.

Wedjat eye, faience, Third Intermediate Period (c. 1080 – 664 BC), Metropolitan Museum, object number 26.7.1032

Eye of Horus amulet with pendant loop, faience, Late Period (664 – 332 BC), Chiddingstone Castle collection, object number 01.0165

Our object of the month can be found in the Castle’s Egyptian Room amongst an array of fascinating amulets in the form of tiny gods, animals, and symbols. Some of the tiniest amulets, for example a bead in the form of a hedgehog, are smaller than your little finger nail. Some of them were made to be worn as part of jewellery, and some were made to be buried with the deceased in a tomb. These amulets give us a glimpse into the things that Ancient Egyptian people valued and believed about their lives and about the afterlife. 

This object is just one of the many objects that form part of Denys Eyre Bower’s five impressive collections which include Ancient Egyptian, Japanese, Buddhist, Stuart and Jacobite, and Books. For more information on these objects, review our Object of the Month series, visit the Historic House and Collections or contact our Curator, Naomi Collick by email or by calling 01892 870347.